A senior state inspector has asked the Hanoi administration to strictly punish officials who allowed a construction official to build his house on a common road shared by residents, local newswire Vnexpress reported Tuesday.

Le Tien Hao, deputy head of the Government Inspectorate, issued the order after residents of Hang Bac Street filed complaints that the house of Do Manh Tuan, assistant to the director of the Hanoi Construction Department, was built illegally.

Tuan's house, which faces the street, has blocked the way to three houses as well as the Hang Bac Pagoda, the residents said.

The house was also taller than permitted and its ceiling built with concrete formwork instead of light materials as stated in the construction permit, inspectors following up on the complaints found.

Hao also asked Hanoi government to punish the officials who allowed the construction to proceed.

Earlier, Duong Thanh Pho, deputy chief inspector of the Ministry of Construction, said the house must be removed if local residents unanimously disagreed with its location.

Work at the house was officially suspended in late 2009 but the house owner continued building anyway, the residents said.

An official of Hanoi Construction Department, who wished not to be named, said the house had just replaced an old one that already covered the common path.